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Season 11 of Below Deck Mediterranean will go down in franchise history — and Captain Sandy Yawn, Aesha Scott and Joe Bradley are giving Us a glimpse of what is to come.
Bravo’s Below Deck franchise has been a reliably dramatic and fun port in a reality TV storm since its 2013 debut. When Below Deck Mediterranean returns to Bravo for season 11 (Monday, June 8, at 8 p.m. ET) in Dubrovnik, Croatia, it’ll feature its first surf-and-turf plot line, with bosun Nathan Gallagher splitting his time between work on the water and time on land with partner Gael Cameron and their new baby.
“The fact that we were able to do that for him was great,” Captain Sandy exclusively tells Us Weekly. “Every time I saw Nathan, he seemed very excited to see his family, but when he would come back, he was very tired!”
Fan-favorite chief stew Aesha has to contend with her own work-life balance issues, catering to guest demands while planning her wedding. (She and now-husband Scott Dobson tied the knot in March.)
Aesha tells Us, “Coming back this season, I was a little wary. I was getting married soon, but it honestly ended up being my favorite season ever!”
Deckhand Joe is also back after a rough season 10, which ended on a sour note with his former best mate Nathan. (The two and Gael all met as crew members during season 9.)
Joe tells Us he was determined to redeem himself after a disastrous season 10 love triangle with stewardesses Victoria SanJuan and Kizzi Kitchener.
“I understand it’s not a comfortable position — even as a viewer — so watching myself back, I have learned from the situation,” Joe says. “I’m really focused on my job right now.”
The relationship drama will instead come courtesy of the newbies, including chef Joy Lefaucheur, stews Genevieve Lillie, Katrina Johnston and Kayley Smith and deckhands Cooper Dawson and Luke Brumer.
Keep scrolling to see what Captain Sandy, Aesha and Joe teased about what is to come in season 11 of Below Deck Med:
Nathan and Joe Crossing Paths After Their Falling Out
While Below Deck Med viewers had a front row seat to the rift between Joe and Nathan, Sandy is still in the dark, telling Us, “I still don’t know what happened. You see how many times I’ve asked. … I know about the dynamics between Joe and Nathan, but I don’t know why. I have not heard a reason why and I’ve gotten no answer.”
Sandy found it “weird” to see Nathan and Joe’s new normal. “They had a bromance and now they don’t,” she noted. “It’s so odd.”
While speaking to Us, Aesha was just as stumped, adding, “It just felt like a long time coming and I wasn’t surprised, so I just tried to ignore it and let them handle it, until I couldn’t ignore it anymore.”
Aesha never expected them to reconcile.
“Not for one second, they fell out a while ago and I could tell it was for good,” she added. “There is no repairing that. Nathan is stubborn as hell and Joe wants Nathan’s job. so that mix will never end well.”
As for whether Joe redeemed himself in season 11? For Aesha, it was in some ways “yes, very much,” and in other ways, “not at all.” Joe, for his part, offered his perspective on taking responsibility in an effort to do better this time around.
“I know how to work Nathan, I know how to deal with him. All you got to do is keep your mouth shut and don’t laugh,” Joe told Us. “That’s how you deal with Nathan. I just knew how to play along.”
He continued: “Nathan does say things and he wants you to blow up. But if you just keep your mouth shut, head down, tail between your legs, that’s what he likes. He’s an aggressive man.”
After returning to Below Deck Med, Joe was determined to do things differently, but he admitted he partook in some “kissing in the nightclub.” He teased, “Does it happen with anyone else? We’re gonna have to see the show, but I am really focused on what my job entails.”
The Interior Dynamics
While tensions were rocky on deck, it couldn’t have been more different in the interior. Aesha previewed what to expect, telling Us, “The interior team this season was fire! For the first time ever, I finally got three stews! And all of them were very capable, so we had the hands to make the guest experience even more elevated. Their dynamic starts OK like always, but things never stay OK for very long in yachting.”
Aesha also teased her biggest challenge this time around.
“With three stews I was just on Cloud 9 all season, so it felt less challenging even though it is still relentlessly hard work. My biggest challenge was probably managing a certain stewardess, and trying to understand what the hell Gen Z is talking about half the time,” she added. “We get one of the biggest tips in Below Deck history and have a love triangle that hits every department.”
Making ‘Below Deck’ History
Captain Sandy broke down how Bravo made sure Nathan felt supported as a new dad, saying, “It was important that Nathan got to see his son. As far as his job, how many people get to do that? Not many. So the fact that we were able to do that for him was great.”
Despite adjusting to include Nathan in the charter season, there were still challenges.
“Did it help or hurt? In my opinion, every time I saw Nathan, he seemed very excited to see his family, but when he would come back … he was excited, but he was very tired,” she added. “I think when the baby’s up all night, it’s hard. But you make those sacrifices because you’re a parent and that’s your child.”
In her own interview with Us, Aesha praised Nathan for “juggling both,” saying, “Our jobs are so hard and demanding it’s hard enough to cope when you are fully focused. I cannot imagine being that needed at work while your heart is with your child and partner, especially when that partner is solo parenting and finding it difficult. I don’t know how he did it.”
As for Joe, his perspective was a bit different.
“Regardless of the show you’re dealing with, people that are in the Mediterranean [say] you’ve got to be so involved mentally, physically and everything,” Joe noted. “You’ve got to give your 100 percent. If you’ve got any distractions, you’re going to crumble and we’re easily replaceable.”
Welcome Back to Below Deck Royalty
Below Deck Med fans are in for a surprise return with Hannah Ferrier making an appearance.
“Hannah and I made restitution long before that aired or before that happened. So, Hannah and I were in a great place and having her there was wonderful,” Sandy shared before Aesha added, “Reuniting with Hannah was incredible!! Hannah has always supported me becoming chief stew. It felt so surreal to then be standing with her in Croatia celebrating me getting married! Very full circle!”
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